Circuit-closer.



No. 760,132. PATENTED MAY 1v, 1904.

: C J. W. LBBCH.

CIRCUIT CLOSER.

APPLICATION FILED 0011.10. 1903.

NO MODEL.

@Rhmann l UNITED STATES Patented May 1'?, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES WILSON LECH, OF STAUNTON, VIRGINIA.

CIRCUIT-CLOSER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 760,132, dated May 17,1904.

' Application ilecl October l0I 1903. Serial No. 176,513. (No modeltion.

My invention is an improvement in circuitclosers for telegraph-keys, andis designed to be used with the usual form of key now in common use. y

The object oi', my invention is to decrease the chances ofthe key beingleft by the operator on an open circuit, thereby breaking the circuitybetween different points on the line. Open Vkeys are the source oi agreat annoyance, especially in railroad ottices,where the operator isoften also depot agent and uses his table for general clerical work andfrequently unknowingly knocks the key open,

4destroying thecircuit, which remains open until the testing office canlocate the break and have it closed. A 4

My invention tends to obviate this difficulty and will be hereinafterdescribed.

My invention consists in the novel features of construction andcombination of parts hereinafter described, particularly pointed out inthe claims, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a perspective View oi'va telegraphkey andv stand with my'improvementattached thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the stand and my attachment,the key being removed. Fig. 3 is an irregular section through theportion of the conductor-plate over which the switch swings. Fig. 4 is asection on the line 4 i of Fig. 3.

In constructing my device I use a wooden stand A, in which is embeddedthe circuit-plate B, forming the key-base, and on'wliich are mountedinthe usual way the key-lever C and key C', the lever and key being ofordinary construction. A metal tube D passes up through the stand andcarries one of the linewires D', the under side of this stand beingrecessed at E2, the lower end of the tube D extending into such recess.The upper end oi' the tube carries the contact-point E, from whichextends a spring-plate E', which is arvE'. the plate ofthe switchGr fromunder the plate ranged parallelto the conductor-plate B and is turnedslightly upward at its outer end.

The contact-point, spring-plate, and tube D are all insulated from theplate B, as shown at F. AV switch Gr is pivoted tothe conductorplate Bon the sides of the trunnions opposite the key C' and is curved so as toswing transversely to the plate B and between the key'- trunnions and atits free end carries the usual insulated handle G'. To close thecircuit, this switch G is adapted to be moved along the conductor-plateBuntilit rests under the plate As, however, the accidental swinging of E'would cause an open circuit, fl arrange on the plateB a strip oiEinsulating' material H,

`which is preferably hard rubber and is pai'- tially embedded in theplate B and projects slightly above it. On the plate H is arranged asmall diamond -sha ped metal plate H', having a depending stem extendingdownwardthrough the base B and insulated fromsame by an extension of theinsulating-plate H. A recess .l is formed in the stand belowthebasefplateB and parallel with same, the recess extending from thetubey B to and beyond the plate H', and in this recess is arranged awire J', carried Vina tube oi' insulating material J2 and connected atone end to the depending stem of theplate H' and at the other endcarried Aup and bent around the tube D below and in contact with thespring-plate E'.

When itis desired to open a circuit, the lever G is swung out from underthe spring-plate E' until it touches the front edge of theslightly-elevated insulating-plate H, which contact the operator willbecome aware of through the sense of touch and without looking at thestand will know that a slight further movement of the switch will carryit onto the plate H,

when the circuit will be opened. Should, however, the key be struckaccidentally,ias by the elbow ot' the operator upon writing at his tableor in piling books upon the table,

and the switch be knocked from under the IOC spring-plate, or initsthird position; over the plate H', there is a closed circuit, and it isonly when the key is lcarefully placed exactly between these twopositions that the circuit is open. 1t will be understood that thisarrangement of parts for closing the circuit can be used with forms ofkeys other than the forms shown herein and that any suitable insulatingmaterial can be `,used in the construction of the apparatus that is mostsuitable or desirable, and, further, that such insulating material canbe placed wherever required.

It is understood that the base-plate B may be placed on a table orsecured to any suitable stand and need not necessarily be u sed withsuch a stand A as is shown.

Having thus fully described my invention, what 1- claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A device of the kind described compris- -ing a telegraph-key andstand, a base-plate on `the stand, a switch pivoted to the base-plate,.a strip of insulating material on the baseplate intermediate thepivotal point of the switch and the key, a contact-plate arranged on theinsulating-strip adjacent the end opposite the key, and means forclosing the circuit when the switch is thrown off the insulatingstriptoward the key, or on the strip in contact with said contact-plate.

2. rlhe combination with a telegraph-key and base-plate, of a` switchpivoted on said base-plate, an elongated strip of insulating materialarranged on the base-plate between the point of contact of the key andthe pivotal point of the switch, a contact-plate arranged on theinsulated strip adjacent one end of the strip and adapted to be engagedby the switch when moved away from the key, and an electrical conductorlead ing from the said contact-'plate to a main wire, as and for thepurpose set forth.

3. The combination with a telegraph-key and a base-plate having mainline-wires connected thereto, of a switch pivotally connected to thebase-plate and having a limited swinging movement, a'strip of insulatingmaterial arranged on the base-plate and slightly elevated above saidbase-plate and adapted to be engaged by the switch and :produce an opencircuit, and means whereby a closed circuit is produced when the switchis swung to the extreme limit of its movement in either direction.

4. A device of the kind described comprising a stand, a base-plate and atelegraph-key thereon, said stand being recessed on its upv per surfacebelow the base-plate, insulating material carried by the base-plate, acontactpoint supported 'by and extending downward through saidinsulating material and projecting into the recess, a wire extendingfrom said contact-point to a point adjacent the key, said wire lying inthe recess, la switch pivotally connected to the base-plate, and Ameanswhereby aclosed circuit is formed when the switch vrests upon saidycontact-point.

5. The combination with' a telegraph-key, of a stand recessed on itsupper side, a baseplate arranged on the stand and covering the recess, acontact-plug extending through and projecting above thestand andbase-plate and extending through and transverse to the recess, a mainline-wire connected to said plug, a similar wire connected to thebase-plate, the plug being insulated from said plate, a springplateconnected to the contact-plug and extending over the base-plate, aswitch pivotally connected to the base-plate and adapted to be movedunder and in contactwith the spring-plate, a strip of insulatingmaterial arranged on the base-plate intermediate the pivotal point ofthe switch andthe springplate, a contact-plate arranged on' said stripof insulating material, said plate having a stem projecting downwardinto the recess in the stand, and a wire lying in said recess andconnected at one end to the stem of the contact-plate and at theopposite end contacting with the spring-plate.

JAMES WILSON LEECH.

Witnesses:

GEO. KEIs'rnR, N. I. TAYLOR.

